The Medford City Council’s Planning and Permitting Committee is reviewing a proposed update to the city’s Vacant Building Ordinance, aiming to reduce long-term commercial vacancies. Sponsors argue that such vacancies harm neighborhood vibrancy and stifle local business activity.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter filed an appeal on Friday on behalf of the federal government of U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper’s preliminary injunction reinstating Rümeysa Öztürk’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System record.
Tufts is piloting a new initiative this spring break designed to bridge the gap between undergraduate education and professional careers. The Jumbo Undergraduate Mission for Personal Insight and Navigation program, spearheaded by Elise LaMotte, associate provost for student success, will offer approximately 100 first-year students hands-on experience across four different academic tracks, connecting them directly with the university’s graduate and professional schools.
The City of Somerville saw a recent spike in overdoses, prompting the Somerville Police Department to publish an overdose warning on Jan.19. Five overdoses occurred on the weekend prior to the warning, three of which were fatal.
The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation on Thursday into whether Tufts University’s National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement has contributed to the illegal sharing of college student data to influence elections. The Student Privacy Policy Office, which is a part of the Department of Education, says it opened the investigation in response to several allegations that the NSLVE has violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act by sharing data with third parties.
Steve Tisch, a Tufts alumnus and donor whose name appears on several campus buildings, was revealed last Friday to have communicated frequently with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein about women, dinner invitations, football games and Epstein’s private island.
Elected officials in Medford and Somerville, as well as state leaders across Massachusetts, are ramping up efforts to curb the effects of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s presence in the state.
The city of Medford restarted its rezoning project last month with a primary focus on rezoning Medford Square. It is the first proposal heard in the new City Council term, and the first since the city signed a contract extension with Innes Land Strategies Group — the consulting group that provides analysis and recommendations for the city’s rezoning.
Fiorenzo Omenetto, a professor in the biomedical engineering department, wrote to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after an associate of the financier put them in touch, according to the newest batch of files released by the Department of Justice on Friday.
At the Tufts Community Union Senate meeting on Sunday, members discussed the tuition transparency town hall, upcoming outreach initiatives and expanding relations with members of the Tufts administration.
The Department of Earth and Climate Sciences added two new classes to their department this year. Professor Noel Heim began teaching Geology of National Parks in the fall of 2025 and Professor and ECS Department Chair Jill VanTongeren began teaching Natural Disasters in Movies this semester.
Following over a year of deliberation, the Somerville School Construction Advisory Group delivered its final recommendation to the mayor for a new PK–8 school building, addressing the absence of the Winter Hill Community Innovation School. In June 2023, a piece of concrete collapsed from the ceiling of the Winter Hill School after prolonged maintenance issues, forcing it to close.
The Daily spoke with University President Sunil Kumar on Friday about his Beyond 175 plan, a blueprint for the university following its 175th anniversary in 2027. The plan was first announced in October of last year with a final working draft released in January.
Tufts Community Union Senate has implemented a survey form to allow students to rate meals and provide feedback in both the Fresh at Carmichael and Dewick-MacPhie Dining Centers. The program is running from Jan. 26 to Feb. 6 and aims to increase student input in dining experiences.
Organ transplant technology leader TransMedics, a medium-sized company that brings in hundreds of millions in revenue annually, recently announced it will be moving its headquarters to Somerville in 2028. Somerville anticipates the move will add 900 jobs and $75 million in tax revenue over the course of six years. The city of Somerville, along with the state of Massachusetts, provided TransMedics with tax breaks to encourage the move.
Steve Tisch (A’71), a Tufts alumnus and donor, is mentioned several times in a newly released batch of files related to the convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. The Department of Justice released an additional three million pages earlier today as mandated in the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Recently, Tufts created a job posting for a labor relations specialist who would serve as an expert intermediary between the university and its employees regarding labor disputes and union-related issues, including attending contract negotiations and ensuring consistent labor relations leadership across the university.
Copper Mill Development submitted an application to the state of Massachusetts on Dec. 22 seeking approval to build a 25-story, primarily residential, tower in Davis Square. Many residents have raised concerns about the limited time allotted for public comment on the development. In response, the Davis Square Neighborhood Council voted on Monday to urge the city to ask Copper Mill to withdraw the proposal and resubmit only once a neighborhood plan has been made.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation strengthening entry restrictions for foreign nationals from countries that are deemed a potential danger to national security on Dec 16. Seven nations were added to a full travel ban, while another 15 are now subject to partial restrictions, adding uncertainty to the process of applying for and renewing student visas.
Residents gathered at the Somerville and Medford branches of Citizens Bank on Saturday to protest the bank’s links to private prison companies that own and operate immigration detention centers under government contracts, including with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The protests were part of three dozen similar demonstrations taking place across the Northeast, organized by the de-ICE Citizens Bank Coalition. According to the coalition, Citizens Bank continues to be a major lender to private prison companies CoreCivic and The GEO Group. They added that other banks, including JPMorgan and Barclays, have distanced themselves from the prison companies.
